Personal Injury Statute of Limitations by State

The deadline to file a personal injury lawsuit ranges from 1 to 6 years depending on the state. Pick your state below — every page shows the exact statute, when the clock starts, and the exceptions that can extend (or shorten) your time. Each deadline links to its official state statute.

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State-by-State Deadlines

StateDeadlineOfficial statute (source)
Alabama 2 yrs Ala. Code § 6-2-38(l)
Alaska 2 yrs Alaska Stat. § 09.10.070(a)
Arizona 2 yrs A.R.S. § 12-542
Arkansas 3 yrs Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105(3)
California 2 yrs Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1
Colorado 2 yrs C.R.S. § 13-80-102(1)(a)
Connecticut 2 yrs Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-584
Delaware 2 yrs Del. Code Ann. tit. 10, § 8119
District of Columbia 3 yrs D.C. Code § 12-301(8)
Florida 2 yrs Fla. Stat. § 95.11(3)(a)
Georgia 2 yrs O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33
Hawaii 2 yrs Haw. Rev. Stat. § 657-7
Idaho 2 yrs Idaho Code § 5-219(4)
Illinois 2 yrs 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/13-202
Indiana 2 yrs Ind. Code § 34-11-2-4(a)(1)
Iowa 2 yrs Iowa Code § 614.1(2)
Kansas 2 yrs Kan. Stat. Ann. § 60-513(a)(4)
Kentucky 1 yr Ky. Rev. Stat. § 413.140(1)(a)
Louisiana 2 yrs La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1 (Acts 2024, No. 423, eff. July 1, 2024)
Maine 6 yrs Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 752
Maryland 3 yrs Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101
Massachusetts 3 yrs Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 260, § 2A
Michigan 3 yrs Mich. Comp. Laws § 600.5805(2)
Minnesota 2 yrs Minn. Stat. § 541.07(1)
Mississippi 3 yrs Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49
Missouri 5 yrs Mo. Rev. Stat. § 516.120(4)
Montana 3 yrs Mont. Code Ann. § 27-2-204(1)
Nebraska 4 yrs Neb. Rev. Stat. § 25-207
Nevada 2 yrs Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e)
New Hampshire 3 yrs N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 508:4
New Jersey 2 yrs N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:14-2(a)
New Mexico 3 yrs N.M. Stat. Ann. § 37-1-8
New York 3 yrs N.Y. C.P.L.R. § 214(5)
North Carolina 3 yrs N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52(16)
North Dakota 6 yrs N.D. Cent. Code § 28-01-16(5)
Ohio 2 yrs Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2305.10(A)
Oklahoma 2 yrs Okla. Stat. tit. 12, § 95(A)(3)
Oregon 2 yrs Or. Rev. Stat. § 12.110(1)
Pennsylvania 2 yrs 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5524(2)
Rhode Island 3 yrs R.I. Gen. Laws § 9-1-14(b)
South Carolina 3 yrs S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5)
South Dakota 3 yrs S.D. Codified Laws § 15-2-14(3)
Tennessee 1 yr Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104(a)(1)
Texas 2 yrs Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003(a)
Utah 4 yrs Utah Code Ann. § 78B-2-307
Vermont 3 yrs 12 V.S.A. § 512(4)
Virginia 2 yrs Va. Code Ann. § 8.01-243(A)
Washington 3 yrs Wash. Rev. Code § 4.16.080(2)
West Virginia 2 yrs W. Va. Code § 55-2-12(b)
Wisconsin 3 yrs Wis. Stat. § 893.54(1m)
Wyoming 4 yrs Wyo. Stat. § 1-3-105(a)(iv)(C)

Source: official state statutes, linked per row. Coverage expands as each state is verified — see methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do you have to file a personal injury lawsuit?

It depends on the state: 1 to 6 years depending on the state across the 51 states covered so far. Every deadline below links to its official statute.

Which state has the shortest deadline for personal injury lawsuits?

Kentucky, Tennessee — 1 year. Some states carry additional notice requirements that are even shorter, especially for claims against government entities.

Which state allows the most time for personal injury lawsuits?

Maine, North Dakota — 6 years. Exceptions like the discovery rule or tolling for minors can extend deadlines further in some states.

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Legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines have fact-specific exceptions — confirm with the cited statute or a licensed attorney in your state.